Azernews.Az

By Alemat Aliyeva I AzerNEWS

Pakistani security forces have arrested four suspects, including the alleged mastermind, in connection with a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad that killed 31 people, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday.

The arrests followed a series of raids on multiple locations as part of an investigation into Friday’s attack, which also wounded at least 169 people. Authorities said the bombing was the deadliest in the capital since a 2008 suicide attack on the Marriott Hotel that killed 63 people.

A regional affiliate of the Islamic State group, identifying itself as Isis in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement carried by its Amaq News Agency. According to the statement, the attacker opened fire on security guards at the mosque’s main gate before detonating an explosive vest after reaching the inner entrance.

The Isis group described Pakistani Shiites as legitimate targets, accusing them of supporting Shiite militias fighting Islamic State fighters in Syria.

Security officials said the bombing marked a significant escalation in militant violence in the capital. In November, a suicide bomber attacked near a court in Islamabad, killing 12 people, underscoring growing security concerns.

Pakistan has faced a resurgence of militant attacks in recent months, particularly targeting religious minorities and security forces. Authorities said investigations into the network behind the mosque bombing are continuing, and further arrests are possible.